Cleaning device



May 4, 1937. H. w. HUNTER CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. '7, 1935 Z n W@ WRX .1 w A n 5% M 6 5 m Patented May 4, 1937 CLEANING DEVICE Hester W.Hunter, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Neenah,Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1935, Serial No.53,335

3 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in mops or cleaning devices andhas for one purpose the provision of a mop or cleaner which shall besimple in operation, and convenient in use.

Another object is the provision of improved means for holding aremovable roll or mop or cleaning element in position. Another object isthe provision of improved means effective at the same time to hold aroll mop from unrolling,

and to hold a supporting core for said mop in place. Other objects willappear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 is a front elevation with parts insection;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the mop holder proper with the refilland handle removed; and

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig- 25 ure 4.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawing.

Referring to the drawing, I generally indicates a unitary mop holdingmember, herein shown as 30 of sheet metal which includes a tubularshank, 2, a channel member 3, herein shown as approximatelysemi-circular in cross-section and lying below and at right angles tothe shank 2. It may be connected thereto by the flange or web 5 4. 5indicates any suitable spring structure. It

will be understood that I may employ spring stock or its equivalent forthe entire member and the springs 5 may then be formed integrally withthe above described parts. I illustrate, however, a single spring memberpassing through apertures 6 adjacent the bottom of the shank 2 andhaving turned ends 1 adapted to engage the mop as shown, for example, inFigure 3.

As a refill member or mop member, I illustrate a roll in, of anysuitable material, for example,

paper or fiber, which is shown as rolled about a tubular core II. Undersome circumstances and with some materials this tubular core may beomitted but in other circumstances, as with relatively soft or thinfiber rolls, it may be advantageous. The roll thus formed is providedwith a slit generally indicated as I2 which extends in parallelism withthe axis of the roll, and preferably at 55 one side only thereof. Thisslit increases radially outwardly in width, as will be clear from Figure2, in order to permit the ready insertion of the member 3 therethrough.In use, the member 3 is inserted through the slit into the interior ofthe roll Ill, taking the position in which it is shown in Figure 2. Aninner core or locking member 14 may then be inserted endwise through theopen end of the tube. This core l4 conforms quite closely to theinterior diameter of the member 3. In turn, the exterior diameter of themember 3 may conform quite closely to the interior of the tube l I. Inuse there will be sufficient play or tolerance to permit an easyinsertion of the core 14, but the parts are preferably suflicientlyclose in their tolerances to prevent an unintended removal or shakingout of the core it. As the member 3 is inserted through the slot l2 intothe position in which it is shown in Figure 2, the ends I of the spring5 abut against the exterior of the roll it] and the spring is flexeduntil it takes the position shown in Figure 3. The spring therefore,serves as a holding means for preventing unintended relative movement ofany of the parts and also for holding the loose edge l5 of the roll downagainst the rest of the roll. Thus the roll cannot become unrolled, butthe pressure of the spring is insufficient to prevent the operator fromreadily withdrawing the edge l5 of the roll and taking 01f one layer ofthe exterior of the roll when it is desired to renew the exteriorsurface of the roll.

In order to provide a ready and easily shipped handle means for my mop Imay employ three hollow tubes, paper or the like, indicated as 25, 2|and 22. These may be of paper, fiber or the like and may be of the samelength and are preferably of the same exterior and interior diameter. Inorder to assemble the handle I illustrate two plugs 23, 26, which may beof wood and which conform closely to the interior diameter of the tubes20, 2! and 22, sufiiciently closely so that a certain amount of pressureis necessary for assembly and so that the handle will not comeunintentionally disconnected. The tubular shank 2 of the mop holder ispreferably about the same diameter as one of the plugs 23 and it may beplugged into the end of the tube 29. It is shown as split and preferablyhas enough spring so that it will rather solidly hold its relationshipto the tube 20 so that the parts will not become readily disassembled.Thus I provide a mop assembly in which the parts are light and easilypacked and shipped but which may be assembled to make a stout, practicaland usable mop.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practicaland operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in thesize, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from thespirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description anddrawing to betaken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than aslimiting me to my specific showing. I find the employment of the leafsprings 5 highly successful in at the same time holding the roll I Q orthe loose end l5 from unrolling, while holding the parts togethersufliciently snugly to prevent the longitudinal escape of the member Hifrom the holder 3.

Where I employ the word core it will be understood that the core may becylindrical or otherwise formed, and may be hollow or solid, and of anysuitable material. The roll is shown as cylindrical but it will beunderstood that I do not wish to be limited to a cylindrical roll, asvariations in the form of the roll may be made without departing fromthe spirit of my invention.

Any suitable means may be employed to prevent unintended sliding orslipping of the core I4 in relation to the member 3. I illustrate, as inFigure 4, and in dotted line in Figure 3, notches 25 in which may bepositioned any suitable member 25, for example an ordinary rubber band.This rubber band, as shown in Figure 5, rests against the inner andouter faces of the member 3; its contact with the member i4 is such thatunintended longitudinal sliding of the member M in relation to themember 3 is rendered very unlikely, even if the thrust of the spring 5is slight or entirely lacking.

However, the thrust of the spring 5 against the exterior of the roll ii!tends to increase the frictional contact between the member 26 and theinterior of the roll, and in any event has a frictional effect on theexterior of the roll H] which is simultaneous with and supplements thefrictional connection between the member 26 and the interior of the rollor its core II. The result is a firm locking action of the parts.

I claim:

1. In a cleaning device, a roll of cleaning material, a hollow spindleabout which said cleaning material is rolled, a core removablypositioned within said spindle, a handle, a support associated with saidhandle and including a portion penetrating between said core andspindle, and frictional means on said penetrating portion, normally insimultaneous contact with said core and spindle.

2. In a cleaning device, a roll of cleaning material, a hollow spindleabout which said cleaning material is rolled, a core removablypositioned within said spindle, a handle, a support associated with saidhandle and including a portion penetrating between said core andspindle, and a band of rubber mounted upon said penetrating portion, andnormally in simultaneous contact with the surfaces of the hollow spindleand the core.

3. In a cleaning device, a roll of cleaning material, a hollow spindleabout which said cleaning material is rolled, a core removablypositioned within said spindle, a handle, a support associated with saidhandle and including a portion penetrating between said core andspindle, and frictional means on said penetrating portion, normally insimultaneous contact with both core and spindle, and additional meansadapted simutlaneously to direct a thrust against the exterior of theroll.

HESTER W. HUNTER.

